Abstract

Content

DESCRIPTION: SONAS requires LDAP username (called binddn) and password for authentication purposes when accessing the LDAP server to obtain information about users and groups. SONAS includes an LDAP client implementation which stores the LDAP username and the LDAP password in cleartext in the local file system. A local or a remote attacker who gains root access to SONAS can use this information to gain access to the external LDAP server. Earlier versions of the SONAS documentation advised SONAS administrator’s to configure an LDAP account with root-like access to the LDAP server. The SONAS documentation has been changed to recommend that customers configure the system to only allow LDAP users with at least privileged access for SONAS to look up data on the LDAP server.

Workaround(s): Updated documentation is available with SONAS 1.3.2.3 and above. Please refer to below section on infocenter to follow the guidelines. Administering > Managing > Managing authentication and ID mapping > Configuring the system for authentication > Authentication using an external LDAP server > Setting up external LDAP server prerequisites

Mitigation(s): SONAS customers who configure SONAS with LDAP authentication should configure SONAS using an LDAP user id with least privileges as described in the updated documentation. In addition SSL or TLS should be configured to ensure that the LDAP user name is not transferred in clear text over the network. Please see SONAS Information Center for more details.

*The CVSS Environment Score is customer environment specific and will ultimately impact the Overall CVSS Score. Customers can evaluate the impact of this vulnerability in their environments by accessing the links in the Reference section of this Flash.

Note: According to the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is an "industry open standard designed to convey vulnerability severity and help to determine urgency and priority of response." IBM PROVIDES THE CVSS SCORES "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ANY ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL SECURITY VULNERABILITY.